h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

One thing led to another on one of PC's threads, and the upshot of it all was that I have about quarter ton of books I need to get shot of. So the easiest way is probably for me to list them on a journal thread here - and if anyone likes the sound of anything, shout up!

Sho, I've ear-marked one for you so far - preview here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Batavias-Graveyard-Heretic-Historys-Bloodiest/dp/0753816849

And also a Robert Service bio of Stalin, though you might have read that. Or if you want a Trot perspective on Stalin you can have Isaac Deutscher's bio instead.

- bio of John Reed (the "10 days that shook the world" fella)

- "Bury me Standing", Isabel Fonseca - a journo's journey among Roma (not the worst, but annoying in parts)

- Durango, by John B. Keane (notable for the phrase "the last of the great Gaelic arse-slappers")

- er, a few John Le Carré type ones

- A few Irish history type ones

- a rake of sci-fi type ones

That's a rough overview anyway without digging through boxes too much - there's a lot more than that.

I lurve it!
I have about half a dozen Stalin biographies so if you don't mind me being greedy, can you let me have something on Irish history?

Do you still have my snail address?

I'll dig around and see what there is. Off the top of my head, there's one of Robert Kee's that goes from about 1640-1920 or so. I'll have a squizz and see what else.

I remember your village's name, not sure if I still have the address, though. You can send it to wee.snipey @ yahoo dot com.

Care to say more about Bury Me Standing? I hear such varying reports of it so haven't made the effort yet. Not that I'm asking for a copy, tempting as a book give away is (can use the library here ).

All in all, well worth a read, Kea. You'll definitely put it down knowing a lot you didn't know before, and she put a lot of work into the writing of it, that much is clear. It's mostly not too heavy on either crass bigotry or "Carmen" sentimentalism that when it *does* pop up, in one or two stray sentences, it really jars.

I know other people (Ian Hancock springs to mind I think) have taken issue with some of the facts in the book - so the usual caution does no harm. But, far from the worst, I'd say!

By the way - recommendation swapping's as good as book swapping - so if you know any I should keep an eye out for, fire away!

See, this is the old problem. As soon as I get rid of some twice as many spring up in their place.

Getting rid of books is a fairly extreme measure, I only do it about once every ten years. Except now I've shifted into a smaller house and have books in storage, which is just daft.

What was your motivation?

I don't know as much about Irish history as I should.

I intend to read more sci-fi.

And I really should read some John B. Keane, too.

And I already have a bookcase full of books I've not read yet and I really really shouldn't be acquiring any more. Really.



If no one else takes anything, I will. And I can pop up and collect them too.

TRiG.

TRiG, you should try some of the novels of Philip K. Dick, and those of Thomas Disch as well as Stanaslaw Lem in translation. Also Christopher Priest.

Oh, a potential Give Trig Books Meet in the offing!

I have a ton of books I haven't read yet, too. And as many I've read but would like to re-read in the not-too-distant future. So of course I keep getting more, too. It's not my fault- I keep receiving gift cards and then using them for books I might not otherwise have bought. And there was that time last month when we went for brunch and put way too much money in the parking meter, so we *had* to kill an hour in the used bookshop right across from our parking space...

Aye, that's the thing, kea. I've had to modify walls in the house to put a hidey-hole in for boxes of books!

And I am now seriously considering a Books for Trig Meet in Belfast or Dublin. Anyone who wants to come need only bring a piece of interesting printed matter - of any kind - for Trig. (He let slip this year that he's never had a proper birthday party - let's give him a late one. )

any chance of doing it in Dublin on or around the 23rd October. I'm going to be there then...

Oh! First declaration of interest!

What's bringing you over here? And will we see you up north?

Count me in - North or South I reckon I can make it

If I'm still here then, count me in as well. Yarreau, are you coming?

This could be fun. I collect interesting printed matter. Would anyone like some in return?



I actually had a burpday party in Galway about a month late for my 27th. And I was asked for ID going into a pub. I just didn't write about it because I'm very lazy at writing journal entries.

I'll be in Belfast on the 31st and 32nd of July. http://www.belfastpride.com/parade/ Or in Dublin almost any time.

TRiG.

I'm actually coming over to meet some other internet friends. One of them has written some young adult fantasy novels (TRiG - do you remember the book you got for me last year? that was the 2nd in the trilogy - I'm coming over for the launch party of the final installment)

I'm thinking - although I'm specifically going over to see these people who I have "known" for 10 years or so and have never met - I might be able to combine it with a short mini-meet type of thing


but they have first call on my time and I'm not sure what our plan is yet.
And no - no chance of going up north.

Remind me closer to the time, Trig - getting together shouldn't be a problem. No plans to be away then or anything (so far anyway!)

Sounds good, Sho. A jaunt to Dublin's easy enough, anyway.

I read a little bit of that, Sho, and wouldn't mind getting to grips with the whole series. It seemed well written, but I didn't want to start on book two, so I stopped reading before I got into the story.

TRiG.